- Date
- January 18, 1989, 13:04 local (18:04 UTC)
- Place
- Ronkonkoma, NY
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9021MRobinson R-22HP
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890118000889A
- Case key
- 36365
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper operation of the rotorcraft flight controls and a resulting low rotor RPM condition.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The Robinson R-22HP took off and crashed on the airport immediately after getting airborne. There were no witnesses and the pilot said he did not remember what happened. The main rotor exhibited signs of low rotor RPM and the fuselage showed signs of high vertical impact forces. The main rotor head and the freewheeling clutch were both free to rotate. No evidence of control malfunction was found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9021M
- Reported as
- Robinson R-22HP
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0021
- Airframe hours
- 3,499
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- American Helicopters Inc
- Registered owner
- Suffolk Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 26, 1988 · 72 hours before
- Destination
- HWV · Shirley, NY
- Airport
- ISP · Long Island Macarthur
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 360 total · 345 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ISP
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9021M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.